Valentine's Day: 3 extravagant celeb dates you can recreate on the cheap

For celebrities, Valentine’s Day is the chance to flash what you’ve got. Need access to a big venue? Sure. A special evening with custom matching outfits that the world will never forget (as much as you’d probably like them to)? Done. But for those of us who aren’t famous or rich, there’s still a way to capture the magic — at least if you squint your eyes — of three the best celeb dates in the past few years.

1. Celeb date: The time that Justin Bieber whisked Selena Gomez to their own private screening of Titanic at an arena.

It happened in September 2011, back when the two were dating the first time, and both singers were still teens. Although the date sounds luxurious, TMZ reported that the use of the venue was free since Bieber’s concerts there sold-out and the place wasn’t booked for the evening. They dined at a table for two on steak and pasta. (We imagine it was like a one-on-one date on The Bachelor, minus the up-and-coming band and the rose drama.) The romantic scene topped off a night most couples would consider a fun date all on its own: a concert, this one by Gomez’s friend Demi Lovato.

How to recreate it: Play Lovato on Spotify for a while. Then, how about removing all the furniture (and any extra people or pets from the living room), so it seems like you’re in an empty arena? A cheaper dinner will easily do, just don’t forget to dig up that old copy of the Kate and Leo tearjerker — the movie is essential.

Thanks to the Keeping Up With the Kardashians cameras that were rolling in October 2013, fans know exactly how fantastic West’s proposal to Kardashian was. There was a 50-piece orchestra performing, a crowd of friends and family that had secretly flown in for the surprise, and a 15-carat, $1.25 million engagement ring by Lorraine Schwartz, when West got down on one knee.

How to recreate it: This one is tough! The scene even made Kim’s sister Khloé Kardashian say, “I didn’t know this was real life.” Still, small gestures can be just as meaningful as larger ones. A quiet neighborhood baseball diamond, with a love song playing in the background would make just as perfect a proposal spot. The ring could be a problem…

3. Celeb date: Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’s night at the 2001 American Music Awards.

The night of the notorious matching denim outfits just looked really fun. The 19-year-old pop stars seemed super in love at the time — and riding high in their careers. It was big night! She served as the host of the show, in addition to being nominated in two categories. His boy band, ‘N Sync, was nominated in three categories, and it won the title of Artist of the Year. But that was just the professional side of it. The pair were also rocking a look that no one will forget — although they might sometimes prefer that we did — which shows just how into each other they were.

How to recreate it: This is by far the easiest of the dates to DIY, because you can simply toss out a red carpet (felt or construction paper counts) and stock up on denim — as much denim as you can imagine. The only trick is that you’ll need some people to play the paparazzi and lavish you with awards. Celebs often hit fast food restaurants following the afterparties, so be sure to finish the night at a burger joint.